


Partners in Crime

by missingnolovefic



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Grand Theft Auto Setting, Domestic, Established Relationship, Fake AH Crew, Female Jack, Hacker!Gavin, Identity Reveal, M/M, Secret Relationship, non-graphic implied violence and death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 16:08:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8851375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missingnolovefic/pseuds/missingnolovefic
Summary: The Vagabond joining the Fakes is big news in Los Santos' criminal underground. It's a good thing his boyfriend's a hacker - especially since no one knows about the two of them.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SoulFishie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoulFishie/gifts).



> Did I or did I not threaten to write you a proper giftfic, soulfishie? :P
> 
> Big thank yous to my beautiful betas, [fangirlsanity](http://fangirlsanity.tumblr.com) and [plainspeakingvillainess.](http://plainmerryvillainess.tumblr.com)

Ryan dropped his keys in the bowl on the entrance cabinet, kicking the door shut absentmindedly behind him. He left the duffel bag with his work equipment at the door, but kept his biker jacket on. Gloved fingers sorted swiftly through the post, binning the junk mail as he walked through the kitchen door. He dropped the bills on the table, grabbing a Diet Coke from the fridge without looking, and moved on to the living room. Gavin looked up curiously from his setup in the corner.

“Rye-bread!” he called out enthusiastically. He turned his swivel chair around with too much force, causing him to spin nearly 360 degrees instead. “You’re back!”

“Like you weren’t watching me on the CCTV the entire time,” Ryan replied wryly, looking up from the envelope to nod pointedly to one of the monitors that showed the hallway in front of their apartment. Gavin blushed, tapping a couple keys quickly, and the monitor started switching between cameras randomly. Ryan arched a brow, amused.

“So!” Gavin said brightly, gaze flittering around in search for a new topic. His eyes landed on the letter still in Ryan’s hands. “Oooh, mail! Who’s it from?”

Ryan looked back down at the white envelope and turned it in his hands thoughtfully. There was no address, not even a stamp. Only his PO number printed neatly at the upper right corner. Professional. Paranoid. Either bribed a worker or had an in at his post office.

“A job offer, probably.” Ryan shrugged. Gavin’s gaze sharpened.

“On paper? That’s rare.” He drummed his fingers against his knee, thinking. “No electronic trail, they don’t want it traced back to them. But the paper trail…”

“Unlikely to be an issue, this was done by professionals,” Ryan decided, tucking a knife out of his pocket and slicing the envelope open. He shook it out, and a single black card dropped onto the table. On it was a green logo of a duck in a circle - crosshairs? White text stated an address, a date and a time on the back.

“A challenge,” Gavin murmured, frowning. He flipped the card between his fingers, testing its weight. “An invitation,” he amended.

“Not a normal job offer,” Ryan agreed, brow furrowing. He dragged his fingers through his hair, grimacing when his tie came loose. “A test. To see if I’m willing to come.”

“A long term job?” Gavin guessed, setting the card down and tapping his nail against the logo. “Or maybe they want to hire you more regularly.”

Ryan tilted his head, pondering the thought. “An invitation to meet, and a potential offer to join them if all goes well.” Ryan lifted his gaze and caught Gavin’s eyes. “What do you know about the Fakes?”

“You mean, besides the obvious?” Gavin waggled his eyebrows, and Ryan snorted. Turning more serious, Gavin started chewing on his lower lip. “They’ve become a big name over the last year. Came out of nowhere, gained a lot of territory suddenly. The inner circle is supposed to be a very tight-knit group, but rumours vary on how many members are that high up. Ramsey’s their leader, used to run with a pretty infamous group up north before he split.”

Ryan nodded, taking the wealth of information in. “Most people are hired temporarily, regularly if they prove themselves. Muscles, errand boys, lesser known gangs to pull small jobs for them. I hear Ramsey’s still on good terms with his old crew, so that makes sense. Rumour has it Mogar settled down with the main crew couple months back.”

“The explosions guy?” Gavin hummed thoughtfully. “I can find out more,” he offered, halfway turned back to his computer setup already. Ryan laid a hand on his shoulder, keeping them face to face. He searched Gavin’s eyes intently.

“Hyper- Hypothetically… If this is a trial run, some sort of a- a recruitment test, what do _you_ want?” Ryan held Gavin’s gaze firmly, squeezing his shoulder. “Because I will tell them no if it makes you uncomfortable.”

Gavin smiled sadly, reaching up and laying a hand on Ryan’s.

“I know,” he rasped, then cleared his throat. “I know. Let’s hear their offer first, yeah? Be stupid if we guessed wrong, innit?”

Ryan leaned down, brushing a kiss onto Gavin’s forehead.

“Alright,” he said, squeezing his shoulder once more before disentangling their hands. “We’ll figure it out once we have more intel.”

“Right!” Gavin grinned widely, cracking his knuckles. “Let’s get down to business~” he sang, terribly off-key as his fingers flew over the keyboard. With a chuckle, Ryan withdrew, humming along with Gavin’s high-pitched Mulan version as he popped open his coke and started taking inventory.

A job with the Fakes, no matter the underlying motives, was guaranteed to be exciting.

 

* * *

 

Ryan sat outside the coffeeshop, paging boredly through a newspaper. His mask was hidden in the folds of his jacket, lying on the chair next to him. The morning crowd had nearly drowned out the birdsong, traffic jammed with commuters on their way to work. He lowered the newspaper, ostensibly to take a sip from his coffee. His gaze flitted across the street, taking in the thinning crowd, bustling busily along.

“Anything?” he murmured against the lip of the cup, eyes wandering over the other customers in the café. It’s not paranoia if they’re really out to get you.

“I can see the driver lady,” Gavin reported, his voice smooth over their new comms. “She’s parked at the supermarket one crossroad over. Huh. I wonder what she’d look like with a beard.”

Ryan pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, used to the way Gavin’s attention would jump focus. He set down his empty cup carefully, trying to keep the _clink_ of china as quiet as possible.

“Please tell me you’re not photoshopping in the middle of an op,” Ryan muttered under his breath. There was a pointed silence over the comms before-

“...I’m not photoshopping in the middle of an op,” Gavin repeated faithfully, and Ryan snorted.

“At least try to lie convincingly?” he requested, a fond smile tugging the corners of his lips upward.

“Ryan, no, Ryan!” Gavin sputtered, mock-offended. “Lies are no basis for a relationship, Ryan.”

“Not for a healthy one, no,” Ryan chuckled, turning another page. From the corner of his eyes he glimpsed three people turn around the corner, one of them sporting a semi-familiar mop of russet curls. Mogar. “Looks like they’re here.”

“I see them,” Gavin said, voice all business now. “They’re heading for the meeting point. Man in the tuxedo’s probably Ramsey, some red-head bird and a guy with a frowny face.”

“Mogar,” Ryan confirmed. He could hear the faint clicks of keys as he stood up, leaving a decent tip for the waitress on the table. He shrugged on his jacket as he casually walked down the street, Gavin rattling off data in his ear. As he rounded the corner, he pulled on the infamous black skull mask.

“- driver’s still idling, looks like she’s on comms with the others though. Roofs seem clear, but I’ll take another sweep just to be sure. I could try hacking their comm system, see what they’re up to-”

“No,” Ryan interrupted him sharply. He took a deep breath, reminding himself that his partner was as nervous about this as he was, and gentled his tone. “We don’t know if they can trace us. Could backfire on us if they notice something’s off.”

The implication being that they didn’t want to be on Ramsey’s shitlist. The man already had something of reputation that made Ryan wary to cross him. Sure, they could move towns if he turned out to be a nuisance, but… Ryan was reluctant to risk it, now that they were finally settling down.

And a part of him felt excited at the prospect of working with the Fakes.

“Right,” Gavin exhaled noisily, and the clacking of keys resumed. “Oh, that’s funny. Looks like your welcoming committee is down by one.”

Ryan made an interested noise, zipping up his jacket. He patted himself down, checking if his weapons settled in properly concealed. Satisfied, he continued his leisurely stroll towards the parking garage.

“Ramsey is watching from the guard house, using the CCTV. Red’s getting ready to meet with you, and Mogar’s going for silent shadow. This’ll be fun.”

Ryan could practically see Gavin rubbing his hands together gleefully as he cackled. He shook his head, fond smile hidden behind his mask.

“What do we know about her?” he asked under his breath instead, passing by the guard station without a second glance. In the background he could hear Gavin scramble as he pulled up relevant info. Ryan frowned. The woman hadn’t been on their radar when they researched the crew, and it left Ryan with a bad feeling. Gavin was a skilled hacker and if he hadn’t found her during their investigation-

“There’s too many possibilities,” Gavin complained, making a frustrated noise. “Depending on how often she changes her hair, the closest matches are one of an information brokering duo from downtown, a lesser known freelance grifter or the ruby killer. I can’t make out if she’s carrying, the footage is too grainy.”

Ryan stayed silent, knowing he was being watched. He could see the woman in the distance, sitting nonchalantly on the hood of a random car.

“Fingers crossed,” he muttered, and Gavin fell silent.

The woman stood up as he approached, holding out her hand with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Ryan gave her a sharp look, but shook her hand nevertheless.

“Vagabond,” she greeted him amiably, fake warmth in her voice. She was uncannily good at it. “I’m here to negotiate on behalf of the crew.”

“Is Ramsey gonna join us at any point?” Ryan asked mildly, nodding towards the garage’s camera. The woman’s expression slipped for barely a second, and Mogar cursed quietly under his breath.

Gavin giggled over the comms. “Nice one, Ry.”

“I’m afraid he couldn’t make it on time.” Her voice was calm, but her smile strained. “But I’m sure he’ll arrive any moment. Meanwhile, I’ve been authorized to negotiate the terms.”

“...right,” Ryan replied flatly, but his lips were twitching upward. “What should I call you then?”

“Rose,” she said firmly, but with a studied promptness that gave her away. Not her real name, then. Gavin hummed thoughtfully, at the same time as the woman looked him over with a critical eye.

“As I said, I’m here to negotiate,” ‘Rose’ continued, linking her fingers in front of her. “The crew has an offer for you, Mr. Vagabond.”

“A job,” he replied curtly, eyeing her cautiously. She looked like she could hold her own in a fight, even though she appeared unarmed. Either very good at concealment or confident, but dangerous in either case.

‘Rose’ inclined her head. “Among other things.”

“The terms?” Ryan asked shortly, fingers tapping against his hidden gun. ‘Rose’s’ eyes tracked the movement and turned to smile at him wryly. Armed _and_ confident, then. Curious.

“An assassination, bloody, to leave a message.” She paused to pull out a folder and tossed it his way. “Your target. Five figures, half upfront.”

She fell silent, watching him avidly. Ryan’s gaze lingered on her thoughtfully before he turned his attention to the file. He paged through the papers, a frown building on his brow. Finally he looked up, flinging the folder at the woman’s feet. Mogar took a tense step forward, hand dropping to his holster, but ‘Rose’ held up a hand to stop him.

“A very standard job. You didn’t go to all this trouble just for this, did you?” Ryan asked silkily, and in the back of his mind he realized that Gavin was holding his breath. “What is it that you’re trying to accomplish here, _Rose_?”

She grinned back sharply, and in that moment he could believe her to be the ruby killer, leaving bloody messes in her wake with a spring in her step. She folded her hands behind her back, rocking back and forth on her feet like a child.

“Whatever makes you say that, Mr. Vagabond?” she sing-songed, and Gavin hissed quietly in his ear. He ignored him, eyeing Mogar who straightened behind ‘Rose’, a manic grin slowly spreading across his lips.

“If you’d just wanted this done, you’d have left the instructions in the mail instead of calling a meeting. It’s not like Pattillo had much trouble bribing the mailman.”

A gamble, but one that paid off. Gavin had managed to recover the deleted file with a fake signature, one he’s reasonably certain is connected to one J. Pattillo, working on behalf of the Fakes. He’d been unable to find much else on them, which had bothered the hacker to no end.

“Your getaway driver is on standby, and Ramsey is watching this spectacle from a safe distance. You yourself are obviously capable, and I’ve seen Mogar at work,” he continued bluntly, nodding to Mogar. The man watched him in amusement, inclining his head.

“You are aware of the risks involved in inviting me here. This?” He motioned towards the folder on the ground. “This is not worth the trouble. The question remains, what is?”

Her eyes flickered over his shoulder, and he didn’t need Gavin’s whispered warning but appreciated it nevertheless. He turned halfway to keep all three of them in view, tension thrumming through him.

Ramsey clapped slowly, once, twice.

“Vagabond,” he greeted him evenly, a cocky grin gracing his lips. “I see you can live up to your reputation. Good.”

Ryan bared his teeth, not that any of them could see it. He assumed the feeling came across nevertheless.

“Ramsey,” he retorted shortly, eyes narrowing. “I don’t like being toyed with.”

Ramsey eyed him for a long moment.

“Very well, then. Let’s cut to the chase.” Ramsey stuffed his hands into his pockets and cocked his head nonchalantly. “You take out this minor annoyance for us as a- what shall we call it- a demonstration of your skills.”

“I knew it!” Gavin exclaimed, followed by a swoop of air as he pumped his fist.

Ryan stayed silent, staring at the other man. He seemed confident enough, but the longer the silence stretched, the more the facade cracked.

“If it works out, we’d like to offer you a place with our crew on a probationary basis. If it doesn’t-” Ramsey shrugged, lips twitching up. “-well, hell, you still get the money for the job and we won’t bother you again. Deal?”

“Say I join your crew, Ramsey,” Ryan growled, straightening up to his full height. Something like alarm flitted over the crime boss’ face. Good. “What’s in it for me?”

“Steady pay. A safehouse if you need it. Backup,” Ramsey rattled off, waving his hands around as he started pacing across the concrete. “Less risks, more fun.”

“I work alone,” Ryan pointed out. A lie, but a necessary one. Gavin was safer if he stayed in the shadows. Still, he couldn’t let on how much the offer appealed to him. A safer work environment with regular pay - it was probably as secure as they were gonna get in this business.

If they could trust them, that is.

Ramsey raised his hands, arching his eyebrows. “Dude, if you wanna go back to solo afterwards, that’s your decision. The offer stands.”

He nodded to ‘Rose’ who had picked up the file, which she now handed to Ramsey, who in turn held it out to Ryan.

“Think about it. And then let us know.”

He glanced meaningfully to the folder. Ryan hesitated, waiting just long enough for Ramsey's outstretched arm to droop a little, before he gingerly accepted the file.

 

* * *

 

Gavin threw himself gleefully into researching their target, coming up with crazy murder scenarios. Electrocution via convenient puddles. A proximity bomb in the hallway to his office. Bleeding him out in a satanic ritual.

“We want to impress them, after all,” he said when Ryan teased him about it. Ryan laughed, pulling Gavin into a quick kiss.

“I refuse to paint their logo with his blood,” he returned, and Gavin grinned against his lips.

“It’s the wrong colour, crimson, innit?” he agreed and tugged off Ryan’s hair tie to bury his fingers in the long strands. Ryan hummed thoughtfully, biting his lower lip.

“We’ll think of something else. _Later._ ”

With that he cupped Gavin ass, heaving him up. Laughing, Gavin folded his long legs around his hips, one arm slung over his shoulder. He brushed a long strand of dark hair behind Ryan’s ear, nails trailing down his throat.

“Later,” he agreed, diving in for another kiss.

 

* * *

 

The Vagabond joining the Fakes was big news on the Los Santos crime scene, and Ramsey, _call me Geoff_ , had planned his debut painstakingly.

“I want them to shit their pants,” he explained, grinning wildly. Mogar and the crew’s driver, who turned out to be Jack Pattillo, were joining them in an attack on a rival gang.

He hadn’t seen ‘Rose’ around since that first time, and he wondered whether or not she was a part of the crew, or just a negotiator, like she said.

“Vagabond and I are going to meet with their leaders, here.” Ramsey pointed at the map. “While we distract them, Mogar’s gonna sneak in and plant the explosives there, there and approximately there.”

“Sure thing, boss,” Mogar replied with a lazy grin and a delighted glint in his eyes. Ryan glanced at him curiously.

“Jack, you’re gonna wait here with the car and wait for the signal. Once the cops are showing up or if things get dicey, we make a speedy getaway and blow up their base.”

Ramsey snapped his fingers, grinning like a little kid in a candy shop.

“Boom,” Mogar intoned dramatically, miming an explosion with his hands. Then he started cackling wildly.

“Sounds cool,” Gavin piped up in Ryan’s ear, non-existent to the rest of the crew. Ryan smirked behind his mask, nodding to Ramsey. “Have fun, Rye-bread.”

Hopefully he wouldn’t start playing the Mission Impossible theme this time. Last time had been embarrassing enough, even with no one to witness his abrupt flailing.

 

* * *

 

“We’re getting lucky with the green lights,” Jack remarked casually, causing Ryan to tense in the passenger seat. “Adjust ETA to five minutes.”

“Copy that,” Mogar grunted, the sound of something heavy hitting the floor barely caught by the comms. He wondered what complications the other might’ve run into in his part of the assignment.

“Traffic’s been in our favour, lately,” Geoff commented conversationally. “I’ll be there early, too. Mogar?”

“Fuck off, boss,” the other man growled, and Ryan’s lips twitched. He turned his face away from Jack, even though the mask hid all his expressions. “Huh. Looks like the idiots forgot to lock down. Security’s still offline.”

Shaking his head with a grin, Ryan pulled out his gun and went to check it over, hoping it would excuse him from the conversation. Next to him, Jack laughed.

“Well, it’s a good omen, at least,” she declared, glancing at him. “Wouldn’t you agree, Vagabond?”

Ryan snorted, pushing the magazine of the gun back in with a _click_. “I don’t believe in luck,” he replied, trying to keep his amusement out of his voice. Jack hummed doubtfully, but returned to watching the road. In his other ear he could hear Gavin’s muted wailing:

_I could be your hero, baby~_

Yeah. Definitely not a lucky streak.

 

* * *

 

Ryan came in one morning to find Geoff pacing across the penthouse’s living room, Jack trailing after him sharply, waving a file. Ryan lingered in the doorway, watching them carefully.

“There has to be a way to trace this back to him,” she snapped, slapping the file against Geoff’s chest as he whirled around to face her. “We _know_ who it was, we just need to find out _how_.”

“No, what we fucking need is _proof_ ,” Geoff spit out, waving his arms wildly. “Something we can bribe Luna with. He’s been getting uppity, hearsay won’t cut it for what we need from him.”

Jack’s mouth tightened into a thin line, while Geoff stalked off to refill his whiskey glass. He stared at the table for a long moment before taking a swig directly from the bottle. Jack pinched the bridge of her nose, taking several deep breaths. Then she shook herself, sitting down on a barstool close to Geoff and swiping his glass.

“He’s too useful to cut off just yet, Geoff. We need to approach this differently,” she broke the silence, swirling the golden liquid around. “The plant is taking too long and bribery didn’t get us far. Lindsay says rumours are shut down quite efficiently, which is its own sort of intel, I guess.”

“Our contacts are all coming up empty-handed or are too wary to choose a side yet,” Geoff huffed, carding his fingers through his hair in frustration. “We’ll have to send Michael or Vagabond out to shake some of them up, but we can’t risk losing too many.”

Jack shook her head slowly, tapping a nail against the glass. The sound filled the room, and Ryan shifted uncomfortably, wondering if he should come back later.

“We need to hire someone from outside,” she suggested cautiously, and besides her Geoff stiffened.

“We won’t be able to trust them,” he snapped, his knuckles turning white where he grasped the neck of the bottle too hard. “They’ll either be in his pocket already, or he’ll trace them back and pay them double. No loyalty, it’ll be a waste of resources, and he’ll know we’re on his trail.”

“Look, Geoff, we don’t have many options here,” Jack argued, but her voice sounded tight. Ryan chewed on his lower lip, a habit he picked up from Gavin. He hesitated in the doorway, before straightening up to his full height and marching in, letting his boots thud against the carpet to warn the others of his presence.

“I know, Jack, but that doesn’t mean-” Geoff broke off, shifting to look at him. “...Vagabond.”

“I’m good at tracking,” he blurted out awkwardly and had to hide his wince as Geoff’s expression went blank, his entire body language closing off. Unhappy that Ryan eavesdropped, maybe. Uneasy they didn’t notice him, certainly.

“You’re good at hunting people down, you mean,” Geoff stated bluntly, and okay. Ryan raised one  shoulder in a shrug. “We already know where our target is, and we’re not killing him. Yet.”

They locked gazes, staring at each other for several tense moments, the silence feeling nearly suffocating. Jack shifted in her seat, uncrossing and crossing her legs the other way around, while she watched him keenly. Then, with a sideway glance at Geoff, she put down her glass and stood up.

“We need to trace a murder back to this person,” she clarified, and Geoff’s head shot around to look at her. He hissed something under his breath, but Jack waved him off. “We need concrete, tangible proof that he was involved. That he ordered the hit.”

Jack circled him slowly, and Ryan forced himself to stay loose, relaxed as his eyes followed her. She looked him over, coming up to his left shoulder from behind. Whatever she was looking for, he seemed to pass muster. Tilting her head, she glanced up at him from under lowered lashes.

“Is that something you can get us?” she asked silkily, and Ryan felt himself tense under her scrutiny.

“I can try,” he replied lowly, his voice gravelly and muffled behind the mask. He cocked his head before shooting Geoff a look. “And if I can’t… I know someone who has the right skillset.”

“Someone,” Geoff echoed pointedly, suspiciously.

“A hacker,” Ryan responded curtly, reluctant to share more information with them. He still wasn’t sure if this was the right move, but. Gavin would throw a tantrum if he didn’t let him help with this.

“Are they trustworthy?” Jack inquired mildly, but there was something predatory in her eyes that Ryan appreciated.

“They know better than to disappoint me.”

By which he meant that he’d have to chain Gavin to their bed and force-feed him to get his boyfriend to rest at all until he found a trail. But it sounded rather more sinister, and he could see in their expressions that they assumed a darker meaning behind his words. He didn’t correct them, either, letting his reputation work to his advantage.

Jack and Geoff exchanged a long series of looks, before finally, Geoff inclined his head.

“Very well,” Jack chirped, smiling tiredly. “I’ll compile a file with all the intel we have so far - would your hacker prefer an usb or a paper file?”

“Digital,” Ryan replied and let some amusement colour his tone. He could see Jack’s shoulders twitch, like she wanted to laugh. “I’ll make sure it reaches them.”

 

* * *

 

Predictably, Gavin beamed when Ryan handed him the drive. He wasn’t even halfway through his explanation of the circumstances and his boyfriend was already running a bunch of programs, pulling up others to go through all the accumulated data. He threw himself in with enthusiasm, only listening to him with half an ear.

Ryan crossed his arms, watching him fondly.

“...which was ten times funnier considering Geoff was in a Santa Claus outfit and Jack was dressed up as his helper elf,” Ryan continued his tale, grinning widely. No reaction to his outrageous lies. Shaking his head, he decided to drop it. He leaned in, kissing up Gavin’s neck to his ear. His boyfriend hummed appreciatively, his fingers slowing down for a second before taking up speed again.

“I’ll leave you to it, then,” he murmured huskily, pressing a kiss to the shell of Gavin’s ear. “Let me know when you find anything useful.”

Ryan would give him a couple hours before he dragged him into the kitchen for dinner. There was no doubt in his mind that Gavin was up to the task though.

 

* * *

 

Not even a week later, Ryan knocked on Geoff’s open office door, closing it behind him. The boss gave him a curious look, and Ryan dropped the folder he was carrying on his desk. Curiously, Geoff flipped it open and began to skim the pages, only to freeze halfway through.

“This is…” he trailed off, staring in disbelief.

“Your proof,” Ryan finished for him, keeping his tone blank, even as his chest wanted to burst with pride. “As I understand it, they included a bank statement with the documents. At a discount of their usual fee.”

Geoff paged through the files contemplatively, before pulling out said statement. He eyed the numbers.

“A discount, you say?” he asked dubiously.

“Believe me,” Ryan huffed, fond and exasperated, “they’re in high demand. They could have asked for a lot more for their time, considering they dropped everything else for this.”

At that, Geoff glanced up sharply, looking Ryan over.

“Because you asked.” It wasn’t a question.

“Because they owed me,” Ryan snapped back coldly, bristling. Geoff held up his hands in surrender and quickly changed the topic. But… he’d been too close to the truth. Ryan liked the other man, liked this crew.

He would burn the world down if it meant keeping Gavin safe.

 

* * *

 

They walked along the pier in silence, contently licking their ice creams. Ryan caught Gavin’s hand the next time they bumped shoulders, entangling their fingers. Gavin glanced at him, a shy smile playing around his lips.

Ryan understood. They’ve been dating for over two years now, known each other for even longer than that. Yet he couldn’t believe his luck. That his feelings were returned, that Gavin didn’t mind his lifestyle, encouraged him even. Was willing to settle down together, more than an occasional fling. Trusted him enough to share his life with him - trust was a rare thing in their business.

It felt like a miracle.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Gavin piped up, tugging him towards the railing. They watched as a huge ship entered the haven, horn echoing loudly across the pier.

“Just considering what you’re wearing under those,“ Ryan joked, fingers dipping below his waistband and brushing along the edge of his undies.

“Maybe I’m not wearing any,” Gavin replied teasingly, batting his lashes at Ryan. He laughed, hooking the waistband and letting it snap to make his point. Gavin huffed, leaning into his side. “Well, I could be, you prick.”

“Ah, but I like the pair you’re wearing,” Ryan teased him, pulling him around to face him. “Red’s a good colour on you.”

“It is, innit,” Gavin mused, shooting him a sly look. “And here I thought you’d prefer me naked.”

Ryan hummed, pulling him in by the belt loops. Gavin leaned up, standing on his toes to brush their mouths together. His hands slid up Ryan’s chest and over his shoulders. He parted his lips, moving slow and sweet. One of Ryan’s hands dipped into Gavin’s back pocket, the other staying at his hip, thumb running smooth circles over the sliver of exposed skin.

Teeth grazed over his lower lip, and Ryan leaned in, angling his head for better access. Gavin’s fingers slid up into his hair, then tightened on the strands, pulling him closer. Ryan let his eyes fall close with a gasp, melting into his boyfriend. Gavin took advantage of his weak knees by pushing up against Ryan, tongue plunging into his mouth.

Ryan gave himself over to the sensations, enjoying the hot, wet feeling of tongue and lips against his own, exploring the familiar territory with enthusiasm. He let his hands wander up and over Gavin’s back, then slipped them under his lavender shirt to feel warm skin under his palms.

They broke apart, smiling at each other. Ryan grabbed Gavin’s hand, lifting it to his lips. He kissed his knuckles, maintaining eye contact the entire time. Gavin giggled, intertwining their fingers. He let his head drop on Ryan’s shoulder, humming contently. Ryan, in turn, wrapped his arm around Gavin’s waist and pulled him closer. They watched the haven in silence for a while.

“Million dollars, but you have to go commando for your whole life,” Gavin finally piped up, and Ryan laughed.

“No way,” he objected, dropping a kiss on Gavin’s forehead. “My work pants would chafe terribly.”

“For a year, then,” Gavin amended, nosing at Ryan’s throat. “C’mon, luv! Million bucks is a lot of money.”

“It sure is,” he agreed with an amused smile, tilting his head as he considered, staring out at the sea. “I guess I could manage for a year. Maybe wear a kilt instead of pants.”

“Yeah, okay,” Gavin breathed, swallowing hard. Ryan turned to look at him, noticing how his pupils had dilated. “So. That’s a thing. A thing you just said.”

“You do words good,” Ryan joked, pressing a lingering kiss to the corner of his mouth. “So. A kilt huh?”

“Yeah.” Gavin looked dazed, shaking his head slowly. “Yeah, definitely exploring that later.”

“Sure, why not,” Ryan snorted, brushing his lips over Gavin’s mouth. “Sounds like it could be fun.”

Gavin captured his mouth as he pulled away, and they kissed, slow and languid. Finally, Gavin broke it off, brushing their noses together before backing off, giving both of them a little space.

“So how’s work?” Gavin asked lazily. Ryan hummed thoughtfully, tugging Gavin to his side and starting to walk back up the pier.

“Pretty good, actually,” he decided on, squeezing Gavin’s hip. “I haven’t met many of their allies and contacts, that’s mostly Jack’s job.  But Geoff’s a decent boss, especially considering our business, and Michael’s fun to hang out with now that he got over my… reputation.”

“Don’t you mean a _blast_ to hang out with,” Gavin drawled, and Ryan mock groaned. Grinning, Gavin dragged him across the street, ducking most of the CCTVs out of habit.

“I… like them, I guess. They’re starting to trust me more. It’s… nice,” Ryan mused, staring off into the distance as he mulled that over. Gavin cut him a sharp glance, expression taking on a calculating look.

They ambled back up the streets to where they had parked their bikes. Ryan’s sleek, black vehicle looked almost macho next to Gavin’s ridiculous faggio. He’d have loved to share a bike, if only to feel his boyfriend pressed close, but Geoff had needed him to run an errand last minute.

He was glad for it now, as he shook himself out of his deep thoughts. The hairs on his back were standing up, the undeniable feeling of eyes on their backs finally reaching his consciousness. He didn’t look around, but Ryan was sure they were being watched. The question was, which of them?

“You go ahead,” Ryan said absently, squeezing Gavin’s hand before letting go. “I need to check on something.”

Gavin’s eyes narrowed, and he gave their surroundings a sharp glance before turning to Ryan with a wry smile.

“Alright. Have fun, luv.” He leaned in to give Ryan a peck on the cheek. “Remember, I have my eye on you.”

Ryan nodded seriously, waving Gavin goodbye as he vanished down the street on his bike. He’d make sure to shake any tails before searching the CCTV footage. Ryan stared after him for a beat longer, feeling the adrenaline kick in. Then he turned his own bike around and split down the other street. From the corner of his eyes he saw a shadow peel off, getting into a car that followed Gavin.

He stopped in a side alley nearby, pulling on the skull mask before doubling back to follow the car.

 

* * *

 

“Boss,” Ryan said, and Geoff paused in what he was doing, glancing up at him. From the other side of the penthouse, Michael tensed, throwing him a sharp glance. Jack was out in a meeting with one of their allies, and Ryan took a deep breath, concentrating on unclenching his fists.

He didn’t know who to trust, but he couldn’t just vanish on them, either.

“I need some time off,” he continued through gritted teeth. Michael cocked his head, watching him keenly, while Geoff reclined on the couch, steepling his fingers. There was a tense few moments of silence.

“For how long?” Geoff finally asked, aiming for nonchalant but missing the mark. Ryan shrugged.

“A week, maybe a couple days more,” he replied vaguely, eyeing Geoff carefully. Depending on his reaction, well. Geoff stared back at him, expression thoughtful.

It was Michael who spoke up next, though.

“You still taking jobs on the side?” he asked, voice tight and accusatory. Ryan tilted his head, giving the lad a long look. For Michael, crew always came first, and to his own surprise Ryan found himself agreeing for the most part.

“An exception,” he clarified, before hesitating. If he gave them too much information, they might start piecing things together. But trust had to be earned, and that went both ways. The question remained, how much could he trust them.

“A contact is calling in a favor,” he explained shortly, and Michael seemed to relax a little. Ryan turned to look at Geoff instead. “We don’t have anything big planned. My absence won’t be noticed.”

Not quite a lie, but an exaggerated half-truth at best. Of course there would be rumours, there always were. A considering look crossed Geoff’s expression, and he knew the boss was realizing the same thing he had. After all, no one would know where Ryan was off to - and Geoff could use that, with the right spin.

“I need to know who you’re after,” Geoff mused out loud, and Ryan stiffened. Before he could say anything, though, Geoff held up his hand to stop him. “No, that’s non-negotiable. What you do reflects on the crew, now. Especially if it’s close by. I need intel so I can prepare for the fallout.”

Geoff leaned forward, elbows propped up on his knees, and gave Ryan a long, serious look that gave him pause.

“I… hadn’t considered that,” he replied delicately. He chewed on his lower lip and stared out the window as he thought. The city sprawled out before him, the Maize bank tower off to the side. Geoff was right - he wasn’t alone anymore. The crew would have to bear the consequences, too.

Ryan smiled ruefully. He’d thought he’d learned that lesson the hard way with Gavin already. Apparently, he had needed the reminder. Shaking himself, he turned back to Geoff.

“Someone’s been following my contact. They’re here in the city. I’m going to find out why and eliminate them should they turn out to be a threat,” he rattled off. “They might be locals, but they were definitely hired by outside sources.”

Geoff nodded contemplatively, frowning. Michael stood up abruptly, pacing towards them. He stopped a couple steps behind Geoff, shoulders taut and expression determined.

“If you need back-up…” He let the offer hang in the air, and Ryan inclined his head with a small smile.

“Call with the names of the hirelings,” Geoff ordered, stroking his mustache. “Just a heads up in case they have local connections.”

“I will,” Ryan promised, feeling a sudden rush of fondness for these people. “And I’ll let them off easy, if they’re allies, as long as they abandon their contract. I’ll let you know when I’m finished.”

Geoff waved him off with a grin, and Michael squeezed his shoulder as he passed by. Ryan was grateful, but worry for Gavin made him hurry out of the penthouse. Whoever he’d pissed off, they’d soon know better than to go after him.

 

* * *

 

“They know how to chase a hacker,” Gavin grumbled in greeting when Ryan returned home, not even bothering turning his chair around. Ryan hadn’t bothered taking off his jacket or shoes, either, anticipating to be on the move soon. He stalked past Gavin, clearing off two bookshelves before taking the wooden shelf out of its frame and opening the safe hidden behind it.

“What makes you say that?” he asked gruffly as he contemplated the various ammunitions and weapons within the safe. Something light and easy to hide, he decided, but enough firepower and ammo so he wouldn’t have to return until the job was done. After a moment of contemplation he took the golden gun, too, dropping it on the table next to Gavin’s elbow. Gavin shot him a look, but didn’t object, instead pointing at one of his monitors.

“They keep turning away from the cameras when they can’t avoid them, they know I can track them down that way. However,” Gavin explained, fingers flying over the keyboard. “Hoodies and sunglasses aren’t very inconspicuous. I’ve managed to trace them to here-” A map of the central shopping district popped up, a street corner highlighted. “-where they tossed their disguises. That narrows it down to the fifty or so people passing through in that timeframe, another hundred if they took a shortcut through that back alley.”

Ryan followed his finger, committing the map to memory. A hundred and fifty suspects was better than the millions of possibilities they’d faced before.

“Then that’s where I’ll start,” he said, pressing a quick kiss to Gavin’s temple. “If they dropped their stuff in that alley, they’re expecting you to work alone.”

A reasonable assumption, a reputation they’d carefully cultivated for both of them. Having a partner was an ace up their sleeves, an advantage neither of them could afford to pass up in the past. Now, with the Fakes… Well. Things were changing.

Still, it appeared Gavin’s hunters knew well enough that their quarry wouldn’t be able to leave his nest without tipping them off to its location. Which meant they weren’t just two-bit hacks and might actually know what they were doing. Normally, even if Gavin had caught wind of their surveillance, he wouldn’t have been able to hire help without them tracing the money back to him - he’d have to stay in contact somehow, even with hidden transmissions and complicated algorithms, a decent enough enemy hacker could triangulate his position eventually.

Good thing they’d been partners for so long.

“Here, I updated the security on our comms. Take the jacket with the tracer, I want to keep track of where you are in case we need to go on radio silence,” Gavin rattled off, turning around and fitting the earpiece into Ryan’s ear carefully. “You know the code, I’ll call the closest phone booth or cell you manage to filch if it gets that far.”

Ryan snatched Gavin’s wrists and stilled his fluttery gesticulating. He leaned in and kissed Gavin, slow and deep, a firm press of lips, reassurance and desperation wrapped into a complicated ball of emotions. Gavin clung to him, clutching the sleeves of his jacket. He averted his eyes when Ryan stepped back.

“Turn the security system on the moment I leave, activate all the defense mechanisms you’ve installed,” Ryan ordered firmly, zipping his jacket shut and shouldering the backpack full with his change of clothes and weaponry. “Lock yourself in, don’t go outside, don’t open the door for anyone, not even for me if I don’t text you the right code first. There’s enough food in the freezer for a month.”

Ryan hesitated, and Gavin stepped in for another quick kiss. Then he leaned back, taking the mask from Ryan’s slack fingers and pulling it on for him.

“Good luck,” Gavin said, giving the mask a peck. “I love you. Stay safe.”

Ryan didn’t reply, just squeezed Gavin’s hand before striding out of their apartment determinedly. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could return.

 

* * *

 

It took them a day to track down their targets. Gavin had been able to trace the shades left behind in that alley to three shops around Los Santos, cross-referencing their recent customers with the people he caught on camera nearby the alley. From there they’d both taken different approaches to follow their steps until they were certain they had the ringleaders. Gavin had sent Geoff a file containing a list of names and photos in Ryan’s name, and they’d gotten the go-ahead from the crew leader.

So while Gavin busied himself trying to trace back the gang’s finances to figure out who send them after him, Ryan was lying in wait outside a bar the gang members frequented. He didn’t have to linger for long, as one of his targets stumbled outside and into an alleyway to take a leak.

Ryan had him pushed up against the wall within seconds, pinning him there by the throat.

“Dude, what the fuck-” the guy gasped, eyes wide and panicked as he struggled.

“You’ve been harassing my hacker,” Ryan growled menacingly, tightening his grip on the other’s throat as his nails scrabbled harmlessly, desperately over Ryan’s leather sleeve and glove. “And I am very, _very_ territorial.”

“I didn’t- what-” The man’s pupils shrank down rapidly and he stilled as he recognized the black skull mask and made the connection. “Oh _shit._ ”

“Indeed,” Ryan purred, slamming his head against the wall hard, leaving the man dazed, before throwing him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “You’re going to tell me _everything_.”

The man cracked within an hour, and Ryan left him unconscious and tied up in the basement of one of the crew’s many safehouses. Cool night air hit his face as he stepped onto the patio, freshly showered and maskless. He pulled out his burner phone and hesitated, tempted to check in on Gavin first. He swallowed, shaking his head before calling Geoff’s number.

“Who’s this?” His leader’s gruff voice crackled over the phone and Ryan found himself slowly relaxing.

“Boss,” he replied with a grunt, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe. There was a pause, before-

“Vagabond?” A click as he was put on speaker. “Everything alright?”

“Fine,” he huffed, amused and oddly touched. “Found the rats. I’ll be leaving town for a week to hunt down the mastermind.” He paused, fingers twitching. “Any reservations about their deaths, or arguments for their survival?”

“Depends,” Geoff answered easily, but there was a hard edge to his words. “Do they know anything of value?”

Ryan didn’t even hesitate this time. “They have a photo and a name of my hacker,” he replied bluntly. “And… two of them saw me without my mask, though I doubt they made the connection.”

He waited as the silence stretched, giving his boss time to consider. He knew what he’d prefer, but he would defer to Geoff’s judgement this time. A show of good faith.

“Right,” Jack said, her voice sounding tinny. “Dispose of the captured rat tonight. Michael and I’ll stage a driveby tomorrow and get the rest of them.”

“Sir,” Ryan acknowledged sharply, relief flooding through him. There was another pause, before Geoff spoke up again, something warmer in his voice.

“Get some rest tonight, Vagabond.”

“Good hunting,” Jack added viciously, and Ryan disconnected with a smile.

 

* * *

 

 _He’s dead,_ Ryan texted Gavin as soon as he’d gotten rid of all the evidence. It had been a long week, but he’d finally covered their tracks, making sure no one could follow the same trail to Gavin again. Except for one boxful of worrisome files, which he put in the trunk of his car. They could dispose of those later, but Gavin needed to see them first.

 _Good_ , Gavin wrote back, a second text following on its heels. _Miss you._

Ryan smiled, typing a quick response. _Me too. You need to warn Dan._

Because they hadn’t been only after Gavin, but after his former partner and best friend, too. Gruchy was currently in the UK, there was nothing more Ryan could do to protect the man. He knew how important he was to Gavin, though, and with the files and the heads up, he should be capable of taking care of things himself.

 _Already done,_ Gavin replied instantly, _he’s going undercover._ Then, a couple seconds after, like he hesitated over sending the message. _Come home?_

_On my way._

 

* * *

 

“We need a sniper, Geoff,” Jack insisted calmly, her fingers steepled in front of her. Geoff sighed, dragging his hand through his hair. “This job is too big to go without one, you know that.”

“I know, I know,” Geoff groaned, rubbing his eyes. Then he shot Ryan a wry look. “I don’t suppose you're any good with a rifle?”

Ryan shrugged. “I’m decent,” he answered honestly, but continued ruthlessly before Geoff could get any ideas. “You need me with Michael on the ground, though, for this to work.”

Geoff sighed, slumping into his chair. “Well, fuck. You know anyone who can come in on short notice, Jack?”

Jack shook her head, frowning thoughtfully. “Mica’s off on a job, and Blake still won’t talk to you after last time.”

Ryan watched Geoff as he closed his eyes and slumped in his chair. The man looked exhausted, and something tightened in his chest.

“I heard Brownman just arrived in town,” he offered hesitantly. “I’ve worked with him before, he’s a reliable shot.”

Geoff immediately perked up. “You know Brownman? _The_ Brownman?”

Jack looked thoughtful. “He’s known to be picky when it comes to jobs. You think he’d come in for this if you asked?”

Ryan shrugged casually, lips twisting into a smirk beneath his mask where no one could see. “I can try and get in contact with him. See what he thinks.”

“Do that,” Geoff said, nodding decisively. “If it doesn’t work out, we’ll figure out another way. Lin-” Geoff stopped, shooting Ryan a look, before continuing, “ _Rose_ has this kid working for her recently, he’s proven himself useful. I’ve been meaning to offer him a trial run, guess we can skip that if necessary. Jack, can you look into that?”

Jack nodded thoughtfully, giving them a rueful grin. “We’ll have to rework our strategy, get more muscle if we can’t get a sniper, but I think it’s doable if we put it off for another week. I’ll go call her.”

“Right. You, too, Vagabond. Do whatever you have to get in contact with Brownman,” Geoff waved them off, rubbing his temples. Ryan hesitated, suddenly nervous but…

He trusted them, enough to offer his own resources. To offer insight, give them a look into his past and connections. Enough to vouch for them when meeting with Ray. More importantly, maybe, was the lack of hesitation on their part. Geoff just accepted his suggestion, trusted _his_ judgement on who to bring in on this heist. To decide who would have their back, be their eye in the sky and...

And that was significant.

“Ryan,” he replied quietly, and Geoff made a confused noise, looking up at him questioningly. “My name. It’s Ryan.”

Geoff froze, eyes widening. Jack looked at them over her shoulder, phone pressed to her ear, and gave Ryan a small smile. He swallowed, nodding to her. Geoff cleared his throat, and Ryan glanced back at him just in time to catch the firm nod and serious look on his face.

“Ryan,” Geoff repeated, and Ryan nodded in confirmation.

His heart beat a little faster, and he walked a little straighter as he wordlessly left the office.

 

* * *

 

“X-Ray!” Gavin shouted delightedly, jumping up from his computer station to tackle the other man.

“Vav!” Ray protested, flailing his arms for balance as the younger lad latched onto him. Ryan stepped out of the bedroom, loose jeans hanging low on his hips and a towel over his shoulder. He shot the two an amused look, crossing his arms and leaning in the doorframe.

“You’re back!” Gavin babbled, arms and legs tightly wrapped around the other. “Welcome back! How long are you gonna stay? Do you need somewhere to crash, you can sleep on our couch. I finally got that achievement in Halo 5, we should play some rounds while you’re here, did you want pasta? We do have pasta, don’t we, Rye-bread?”

“We do,” Ryan agreed amusedly, nodding to Ray in greeting.

“No fair,” the Latino laughed, finally disentangling himself from an overeager Gavin. “Pasta! My secret weakness!”

“All food is your ‘secret weakness’,” Ryan teased, stepping forward to give the lad a quick hug. “Welcome back.”

“Not _all_ food,” Ray objected, punching Ryan’s shoulder as he stepped back. “Mostly greasy food.”

“And home-cooked food,” Gavin piped up, and Ray shot him a mock-glare.

“Ergo, most food,” Ryan concluded with a grin, wrapping an arm around Gavin’s waist. Ray threw up his arms in defeat.

“I can see where I’m not wanted,” he joked, grinning wildly. “Fine, see if I care. I’ll just hog your couch _all week_.”

“If you’re staying the entire week, I have a job offer for you,” Ryan said, tangling his fingers with Gavin’s. “My crew’s robbing a bank this Thursday, and we’re one sniper short.”

“Oh? What’s this?” Ray perked up, tilting his head quizzically. “Since when is the Vagabond running with a crew?”

“Since May!” Gavin informed him, standing on his tiptoes and brushing a kiss against Ryan’s cheek. “C’mon, let’s move this to the kitchen. All this talk about food has me _starving_.”

With a laugh, Ryan let himself be dragged along, Ray following them curiously. The lads settled down at the table, while Ryan went about setting up the pots and pans.

“C’mon, man, you can’t leave me hanging after dropping that bomb,” Ray wheedled. Ryan chuckled, setting up a potful of water to boil.

“Alright, alright. So I got this card in the mail about four months back…”

 

* * *

 

“Brownman,” Geoff greeted Ray, shaking his hand. “Thank you for coming in on such short notice.”

“S’okay, dude,” Ray waved him off, adjusting his white half-mask. “Vagabond vouched for you, that’s good enough for me.”

Geoff gave him a look, and Ryan shrugged.

“Like I said,” he added drily, “We’ve worked together before.”

“Right,” Geoff coughed pointedly, straightening up. “Let’s go through the game plan, then. The bank’s here, on the corner of…”

 

* * *

 

It was nice to have someone else listening to Gavin as well during a job. Hell, he’d gotten so used to that second voice, he didn’t even connect the dots when Ray suddenly yelped.

“...is everything alright?” Jack asked, having paused loading the ‘necessary’ explosives in the trunk.

“Yeah, yeah,” Ray muttered, waving her off. He adjusted his comm, and that’s when it finally clicked for Ryan. “Just the audio acting up. I’m fine now.”

“Sorry,” Gavin mumbled, and Ryan quickly turned his chuckle into a cough. Jack frowned, stepping closer to Ray.

“Let me check the settings,” she ordered, holding open her hand. With a grimace, Ray placed the crew comm on her palm.

‘Dude,’ he mouthed at Ryan, and Ryan grinned brightly, waggling his eyebrows. Ray glowered at him.

“Sorry,” Gavin repeated, clearing his throat. Ryan threw his head back and laughed, waving off the others’ confused looks as Ray’s glower intensified. They shrugged it off and turned back to work.

The heist went off without a hitch, with the new kid as extra muscle and Ray watching their backs from up high. By the end of it Geoff got a familiar glint in his eyes as he watched Ray, Jack and Michael joke around, the penthouse filled with laughter and friendly shouting.

“Forget it, Boss,” Ryan warned him. “He likes his solo gigs. He might consider doing odd jobs for us, but that’s it.”

“Just like you, huh?” Geoff grinned widely, not listening to a word he said. Ryan wasn’t sure what to say in response. That he hadn’t been alone for a long time? They didn’t know about Gavin, and he was reluctant to reveal this one last tidbit of information, his weak spot.

Geoff just nodded wisely, then walked off chortling, like he’d played the world’s best prank.

“You said ‘us’,” Gavin pointed out solemnly, quietly. Well. What could he say to that?

 

* * *

 

“So. The new kid,” Ryan said, crossing his arms as he leaned back in the passenger’s seat. He gave Jack a sideway look from where she was idly tapping against the steering wheel. “What’s his name again?”

Jack cocked her head in his directions, shooting him a quick glance before returning her attention towards the warehouse they were watching. With the sun setting and the shadows growing longer, it was easy to miss movements between the buildings. Not that they were expecting trouble. According to Geoff, it was a simple hand-off. Ryan wouldn’t even be here if the job hadn’t been assigned to their latest recruit.

“Jeremy. Jeremy Dooley,” Jack said, rolling her shoulders. “You got an issue with him?”

“Kid’s young. Untested. It seems… unwise,” Ryan pointed out bluntly. Jack hummed consideringly.

“He’s been working with- Rose for almost two months now,” she rebuffed him gently. “He’s proven himself in that time. Enough to earn a chance at this.”

Ryan arched an eyebrow, then narrowed his eyes at Jack.

“You _know_ I know that’s not her real name,” he complained and Jack laughed.

“Oh no. I’m not getting involved in your weird cat and mouse game.” She smiled softly off into the distance. “We don’t tell her your name, and you don’t get hers. It’s up to you.” She threw him a sly look. “Why don’t you just ask her?”

Ryan glared at her for a second, before settling back with a huff. He appreciated their discretion, truly. They sat in silence for a while, tensing as several armed individuals entered the warehouse, leaving one behind to guard the entrance. Jeremy was already inside, and Ryan wondered what his plan was. He knew he was here for back-up, but that was only in the worst case scenario. Jack would be enough as an emergency getaway, so why was he here? What was Geoff thinking?

There was a crackle of static in his ear, and Ryan blinked slowly. Right. He’d almost forgotten.

“So, Jeremy Dooley. What do we know about him?” Ryan inquired, making sure to enunciate clearly from behind his mask. Jack shrugged languidly, leaning forward and propping her arms on the wheel.

“He came to Los Santos a couple months back. Somewhere from the New England area I reckon, going by his accent. He’s a brawler, has been working as muscle for various smaller gangs before he caught our eye.” Her gaze sharpened as someone left the warehouse, but continued tensely. “Says he got in trouble with some underground fighting ring.”

Ryan watched silently as the person went into the back of a van and came back with a crate, vanishing back into the warehouse. In his ear, Gavin exclaimed in triumph.

“Ah ha! One Jeremy Dooley from Boston. Several charges of assault, got caught shoplifting as a teen… Let’s see, what else,” Gavin murmured, the click-clack of his fingers flying over the keyboard in the background. “Used to get a subscription to some wrestling mags, so I’m guessing he’s a fan.”

When nothing happened for a while, and Jeremy didn’t go for the comms to call for backup, they slowly relaxed back into their seats, eyes still alert. Finally, Ryan broke the silence by clearing his throat.

“Underground fighting you said?” he prompted, repeating the words more for Gavin’s benefit than Jack’s. Jack hummed agreeably.

“Some accusations of cheating, I assume. It’s how it usually goes with betting, you know.”

“I don’t,” Ryan snorted, giving Jack a long look. “I guess you would, though, so I’ll trust your judgement.”

“Thanks,” Jack said softly, shooting him a fond grin before turning back to watching the dark warehouse.

“Oh, oh! Ryan, you gotta hear this,” Gavin piped up delightedly. “I found the fight ring’s digital records and you’ll _never_ guess what our newbie went by.”

Ryan stayed pointedly silent, watching as several people exited through the front door. They huddled together for a second before heading off towards the van. A lone person pulled off in the other direction, returning with a green monstrosity of a truck. They started loading up crates in the back, and Jack exhaled slowly, her shoulders slumping. Seemed like everything went smoothly.

“Alright, alright, buckle in. Little Jeremy’s secret fighter identity was called… Dun dun _dun_! _Rimmy Tim_. Hilarious, right? According to the sign-up form he filled out it’s short for Rimilus Timmus.”

Ryan had to suppress a snort, while Gavin giggled away in his ear. Looked like the kid had a sense of humour.

“Ryan,” Jack spoke up quietly, later, as they were trailing the monster truck back to their own warehouse. “I know you have every reason to be suspicious, but give Jeremy a chance? He’s got a good head on his shoulders. We could use someone like him.”

Ryan remained quiet for a long moment before nodding sharply. “We’ll see.”

 

* * *

 

“I can’t believe you shot him, Ryan,” Jeremy laughed, disbelief colouring his voice. Despite his initial misgivings, Ryan found he liked the kid, and after Jeremy’s trial run no one had any objections to his initiation into the main crew. They’d celebrated his first heist as an official part of the A-team last night, the end of his probation.

“Dude, I can’t believe you _didn’t_ shoot him dead,” Michael added his own two cents, leaning heavily on Little J, still more than a little drunk. Ryan chuckled, shrugging.

“He might yet bleed out,” he decided magnanimously, waving at Jack who was waiting for the elevator. “Besides, he deserved it.”

“You boys have fun?” she asked wryly as they filled into the elevator, pushing the button for the penthouse. “Where’d you leave Geoff?”

“He left halfway through the night, not long after you went home,” Ryan explained.

“Gave up like the old man he is!” Michael exclaimed, cackling. “Not up for post-heist bar crawls!”

“You don’t look all that fit right now, either,” Ryan drawled teasingly.

“Stupid mask,” Jeremy muttered, bemusedly. He narrowed his eyes at the skull mask consideringly, scratching at his chin. “You know, if you just took it off for a second…”

“Keep dreaming,” Ryan snorted, stepping out of the lift and heading down the floor towards the living room where familiar laughter rang through. Ryan froze. In front of him, the lads exchanged quizzical looks, while Jack turned to him with a frown.

“There’s no meetings scheduled today...” she trailed off, cocking her head as Geoff’s cackling laughter was met with squawking protests and an indistinguishable barrage of high-pitched words. There was a soft thump, and Jack’s frown deepened, shouldering past Ryan and the lads as she hurried towards the living room. Michael and Jeremy looked at each other and then him, before following after Jack in a carefully relaxed demeanour.

Ryan sighed, trailing after them reluctantly. Goddammit.

“Hey guys!” Geoff slurred, and Ryan rounded the corner just in time to catch his salute, before Geoff emptied his whiskey glass. He was sprawled over the couch, the blond next to him waving brightly at the gathered crew. “Say hi to our newest member!”

“Hi!” Gavin chirped, before looking at Geoff. They both collapsed against each other, shoulders shaking as they giggled.

“What,” Michael said flatly, crossing his arms.

“Geoff,” Jack chided, frowning. “We talked about this. You can’t just take in strays.”

“Oi,” Gavin protested scrambling to his feet. He pointed in Jack’s general direction, squinting and wobbling, before he teetered backwards onto the couch. The whiskey in his glass sloshed wildly. “‘M not a… a cat!”

Geoff ignored the byplay, smiling widely. “No, no, Jack, it’s brilliant! Gavvers here-” Geoff gesticulated wildly, splashing Gavin with his drink. The blond squawked in protest, but Geoff blithely ignored that, too. “-is a hacker!”

When his grand announcement was met with strained silence, his smile started slipping, turning into a frown.

“We don’t need a hacker,” Michael bit out with a clenched jaw, anger radiating from his tense form. “And if we do, we already have Ry- Vagabond’s.”

Michael waved in Ryan’s direction, and he exhaled slowly, stepping forward out of the doorway. Everyone’s eyes flickered to him, before Gavin turned towards Michael with a pout.

“But Micool-” he whined, only to be sharply interrupted.

“That’s not my name.” Michael frowned, tensing. “How do you know my name? Have you been stalking us?”

“What?” Gavin blinked, caught off-balance. Then he shook his head, grinning widely as the accusation sunk in. “Nah, just him!”

He motioned towards Ryan, and the entire room slowly came to a stop. Ryan caught Gavin’s eyes, saw his brow starting to furrow in confusion as everyone collectively held their breath. Realization slowly dawned on Geoff, who whipped around to stare at Gavin with wide eyes.

“Wait, what-”

Ryan strode forward, shouldering past a stunned Jeremy. He grabbed Gavin by the lapel and pushed him up against the nearest wall. The blond blinked, eyes slowly focussing on Ryan, pupils dilated. He put his hands on Ryan’s shoulder, before pausing to look from his hand past Ryan to where he’d dropped his glass with a frown.

“Vagabond, wait-” Geoff shouted, scrambling off the couch. He was stopped by Jack’s arm across his chest, the woman surveying the scene sharply.

“Whoa, hey, let’s not do anything hasty,” Jeremy spoke up, looking a little wide-eyed. Michael said nothing, just crossing his arms and glaring suspiciously.

Ryan ignored them all, focussing on Gavin.

“What are you doing here,” he growled, frantically going through worst case scenarios in his mind. Their apartment was compromised. Someone was targeting Gavin again. An unrelated crime, or the apartment building catching on fire. Something happened to Ray and Gavin had been unable to reach him. He’d been-

“You didn’t go home,” Gavin replied petulantly, his fingers curling in Ryan’s leather jacket. “So! I came here.”

That stopped him short. Ryan cursed silently, remembering their last phone call. He’d checked in with Gavin first, of course, and he’d seemed ok with Ryan spending time with the crew. But he’d been weirdly contemplative lately, taking to watching them closely rather than taking on more outside jobs. An odd sort of loneliness subduing his usual enthusiasm since Ray went off again, a sharp reminder that Gavin’s best friend was out of reach somewhere in the UK.

None of those were things he wanted to discuss in front of the others.

“You’re drunk,” he pointed out instead, giving his boyfriend a dry look. Gavin was getting handsy, he’d always been an affectionate drunk. One hand had wormed itself under his jacket, palm resting above his heart. With the other, Gavin traced along the edge of his mask.

“Vagabond, maybe we should-” Jack started after a long moment of tense silence, only to break off with a sharp hiss. Gavin hooked his fingers under the rim, peeling off his mask slowly, and Ryan closed his eyes, letting him. He hadn’t shown the others his face yet. But Gavin joining them changed things, and maybe, just maybe it was about time. Besides, he was still wearing face paint, smeared as it was.

The room was holding its breath, tension rising as Gavin carelessly dropped the black skull off to the side. Then the blond looped his arms around Ryan’s shoulders, pulling him closer.

“Hi there,” Gavin said, smiling up at him. Ryan huffed, fond exasperation in the look he shot him.

“Wait,” Michael burst out incredulously. “Is he _flirting_?”

“If he’s been stalking Vagabond…” Jeremy trailed off, watching them with calculating eyes.

“Look, I’m sure he didn’t mean it like that,” Geoff said frantically, swaying drunkenly in place. Jack wrapped her arm around his waist, steadying him. “I’m sure there’s a perfectly fine explanation, guys, just give him a chance?”

Gavin ignored them, using the wall as leverage to wrap his legs around Ryan’s waist. He grunted, taking half a step closer to the wall to keep Gavin pinned. The blond hummed contently, nosing along Ryan’s temple and cheek, lips brushing over his ear.

“I missed you,” Gavin confessed under his breath, teeth grazing over Ryan’s earlobe. “I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t have, but you didn’t come home and-”

Ryan interrupted him by catching his mouth in a soft kiss, just a lingering brush of lips, but it was enough to shut Gavin up. The room was oddly silent around them, but Ryan brushed it off, focussing on his drunk boyfriend instead. He pressed their foreheads together, catching Gavin’s eyes seriously.

“There’s a reason why we talk these things through, first,” Ryan said lowly, barely more than a rumble in his chest. “You can’t just jump highly dangerous criminals on a whim.”

“Geoff likes me though!” Gavin protested turning to look over Ryan’s shoulder at the other man. “Right, Geoffrey?”

“Uh.” Geoff spluttered, and Ryan couldn’t help but grin. Gavin tended to have that kind of effect on people.

“Gavin,” he redirected his attention firmly, and Gavin’s head snapped around, blinking at him innocently. “That’s not the point, and you know it. We planned this, Gav. I was supposed to introduce you properly, when the time was right. You do realize how many things could have gone wrong, right? You can’t just break into the Fake’s headquarters and expect to get out whole and healthy. You’re lucky Geoff was drunk and feeling lenient when he found you”

Gavin bit his lower lip, nodding bashfully. “I’m sorry, Rye,” he mumbled, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “I didn’t think. Don’t be mad?”

Ryan sighed, his hands dropping to Gavin’s hips as he stepped away from the wall, the blond still clinging to him stubbornly. He gently pressed their lips together, lingering for a long moment.

“I’m not,” he assured him, and Gavin slumped against him, hiding his face in the crook of his neck. Ryan turned around, gaze sweeping over the room, taking in the stunned looks. He sighed. “Let’s get you to bed, shall we? Geoff, do you mind if I put him up in one of the guest rooms?”

“Uh, sure, no problem,” Geoff stuttered, wide-eyed. Michael, however, was not that easily derailed.

“What the fuck,” he growled, taking a step forward, sounding impatient and accusing at once. “You know this asshole, Ryan?”

“Yeah,” Ryan huffed, fondly exasperated, shifting to get a better grip on Gavin. The blond giggled, licking his throat. Ryan sighed. “Everyone, meet my hacker boyfriend. Gavin, you already know everyone.”

Gavin looked up barely enough to peek over Ryan’s shoulder, waving sheepishly.

“Wait, so this is your hacker?” Jack asked, arching her brows.

“ _Boyfriend?_ ” Geoff exclaimed at the same time, looking shocked. Ryan sighed, shifting Gavin around a little.

“Yes and yes,” he replied dryly, ignoring Gavin muffling his giggles against his shoulder. He let his eyes wander over the crew, before catching Jack’s. “Any other question that can’t wait until everyone is sober?”

Jack arched her eyebrows and shook her head with a small smile, tugging a dazed Geoff back. Michael was frowning thoughtfully, chewing on his lips as his gaze flitted from Ryan’s unmasked face to the blond in his arms. Then he nodded sharply, turning on his heels and stalking off to the kitchen.

“But- I-” Jeremy stuttered, drawing the attention to him. Flustered, he motioned in Ryan and Gavin’s general direction before blurting out, “Facepaint? Really?”

Ryan couldn't help it, he threw his head back and laughed.

 

* * *

 

“So how long have you two been fucking?” Michael asked bluntly when Ryan emerged from his room in the early afternoon. He slurped loudly from his cup of coffee, nodding towards the kitchen at Ryan’s quizzical look. “There’s more.”

Ryan raised his hand in silent thanks, taking a detour to get himself his own mug. Then he sat down at the table across from Michael, eyeing him thoughtfully.

“We’ve been dating for almost three years now,” he finally allowed, sipping at his coffee. “Been partners in the business for a couple months more. After, you know,” Ryan paused to shoot him a smug grin, “fucking on and off for a year or so.”

Michael grimaced, putting his cup down with a disgusted look.

“This is so weird,” he complained, waving a hand in Ryan’s direction. “All of this. Can you at least put your mask back on?”

Ryan chuckled, shaking his head.

“If that makes you more comfortable,” he drawled and Michael frowned.

“It probably won’t but at least it’d be _normal_ weird instead of _weird_ weird.” He paused, his expression smoothing out as he watched Ryan sharply. He took another sip. “So. I guess this is a thing now.”

“I hope so,” Ryan confessed, giving Michael an inscrutable look. “Geoff certainly seems amenable.”

“He’s the boss,” Michael grunted, averting his eyes. Ryan tapped his nail against his mug and hummed.

“You’re not happy with that,” Ryan said, a statement rather than a question. Michael shrugged uncomfortably.

“I don’t know him,” he deflected, turning his cup full circle. “But he’s been watching me- _us_. He probably knows everything there is to know. It’s weird, okay?”

“Just give him a chance. He'll grow on you,” Ryan promised, smiling into his coffee.

“What, like fungus?” Michael joked, and Ryan chuckled.

“Apt,” he said, putting down his mug and staring down at the table, a smile playing around his lips. “When we first met, it was on a job- Gavin approached me. Everyone else fled the room as soon as they feasibly could and made sure to never be left alone with me. Not Gavin. He kept pestering me with questions and hypotheticals instead.”

Ryan shook his head, drinking his coffee. Michael watched him interestedly.

“So you two hit it off then?” he inquired idly, but Ryan laughed.

“God no,” he replied with a grin. “I thought he was an obnoxious, skinny brat with a deathwish. But he was necessary for the job, even good at what he did so I tolerated it.” Ryan shrugged with a helpless grin. “I mean, he was intriguing. Who’s not scared of the Vagabond?” Snorting, he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Turned out he was actually scared shitless. It’s why he approached me. But that’s Gavin for ya.”

Michael stared at him incredulously. “Wait. That’s it?”

Ryan shrugged and hummed noncommittally.

“We had a one night stand, and that would’ve been that if he hadn't tracked me down.” Ryan grinned lopsidedly. “He’s always had problems with personal boundaries and privacy. Ergo the stalking. But he’s been helping out on jobs too - remember all the convenient traffic lights turning green and electronic locks malfunctioning?” Michael nodded mutely, holding Ryan’s gaze steadily. “He’s been part of this crew since I joined, you just didn’t know about it.”

Ryan stood up and turned back to the kitchen, pulling out bowls and pans as he set about making breakfast. Michael remained seated, chewing on his lower lip as he stared into his empty cup. Turning things over in his head. Cautious footsteps had him looking up just in time to catch Gavin peek through the door. The blond startled as he noticed Michael looking at him.

“Oh! Um, hi. Michael, right?” Gavin grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. “Sorry about, uh, earlier. I was a little… tipsy.”

Michael snorted and gave Ryan a wry look. The man busied himself whisking eggs, but Michael was sure he was listening intently. Turning his attention back to Gavin, he noticed the blond started fidgeting nervously the longer Michael took to answer.

_Just give him a chance. Right._

Michael cleared his throat. “Gavin, was it? Come in and sit down, don’t just stand there like an idiot.”

Gavin squawked indignantly, flailing his hands about but took him up on the offer. Michael saw Ryan hide a smile as he snuck up on his boyfriend, startling the blond out of his intelligible protest.

“ _Rye-bread_ ,” he whined, squirming in Ryan’s arms, and Michael choked on his own spit. He watched the two of them settle into a routine and thought that maybe he could work with this. Except when Gavin turned to him with a stupid question, Michael could only marvel at his stupidity and let Gavin know very clearly what he thought of that, only later realizing that Ryan didn’t bite his head off.

_Oh, what the hell._

He’d always been good at rolling with the punches. Gavin shot him a look from under his lashes as Ryan returned to the kitchen, giving Michael a hesitant smile. Shaking his head, Michael grinned back.

“Welcome to the crew, asshole.”

**Author's Note:**

> Questions and comments are always welcome! Either here or on my [tumblr](http://miss-ingno.tumblr.com) / [sideblog](http://funfahcts.tumblr.com).


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